Once Upon a Dream
by TabiNoTochuu
Summary: Otonashi and Kanade have both moved on into the living world once more. They do not remember their lives in the afterlife, but a recurrent dream will bring the two together again, though in circumstances different from before. YuzuruXKanade fluffs inside
1. Book I  Chapter 1: Prologue

**Author's note: **Well, it's been quite a while since I last updated something... I've been SUPER busy lately with a combination of homework, extracurricular activities, and financial aid paperwork for college. I had this written a few weeks back when I finished Angel Beats! and wanted to make a continuation. This will follow the lives of Otonashi Yuzuru and Tachibana Kanade after they are reborn into the world. I will not reveal anymore, but I will say one thing. Dreams have such a strong power, don't they?

I hope you enjoy my latest release, Once Upon a Dream.

~TabiNoTochuu

P.S. Just a FYI, the beginning of the story (Chapters 1 and 2) may be similar to other ones on the site, but I will (hopefully) be writing a different path than them.

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><p>Book I<p>

Chapter 1: Prologue

Yuzuru walked out of the gym where the "Graduation Ceremony" for the last few remaining members of the SSS just took place. Behind him was a girl with flowing silver hair, quietly walking, following his every step. Yuzuru stopped at the stairs leading back into the school and leaned against the side, looking up at the place where he had lived for a brief moment in time. The people whom he had met, had fought with, and created deep bonds with were all gone now, off in the world of the living, living out their lives. Though it pained him to have lost his friends, he knew that it was for the best. However, despite his thoughts, Yuzuru could not take one person out of his mind. "Hey... Kanade..."

He paused for a second, gathering the courage within him to say what he needed to say, his last hope for happiness in a world devoid of love. "Want to stay here? There will always be more people like Yuri and the rest of the SSS who will come here, right?"

Seeing Kanade's confused look, he quickly continued. "We can stay here and teach them how to love life, and help them graduate from this place with no regrets." He looked up at her, gently pleading with her to accept his suggestion. "Won't you stay here with me? If you're here, I can't be lonely, even in this world."

She walked down the stairs and over to where he was standing. "I might have said it before, but I want to walk forward with you. Because I... love you."

He walked forward and embraced her tenderly. The silence following his confession grew uncomfortably long, and he looked down at the girl in his arms. She seemed so fragile, compared to the times when he had fought against her. "Kanade... Why aren't you saying anything?"

She closed her eyes and leaned against him. "I don't want to." There was a brief pause. "If I told you my feelings, I would disappear."

To Yuzuru, it felt as if his heart had dropped down to his feet. "... Why?"

Kanade opened her golden eyes and stared out into the distance. "Because I came to this world to say thank you to you, Yuzuru."

Yuzuru stood there, transfixed by her words as she told him how she was able to stay alive in the world with the help of the heart he donated after his death. As she recounted her story, tears began to form in his eyes, as he realized that, in the end, though he himself did not realize it, he was able to do something with his life, that he was able to save someone's life, and that he was glad to have been able to meet the person he saved. The tears began to flow down his face as she turned to him, and made her final request.

"Yuzuru, say what you said to me earlier once more."

He staggered from the pain of hearing her words, and it hurt her deeply to see him refuse with tears running down his face and the fear and torment of losing someone he loved in his eyes. Kanade continued to plead with him, her own pain threatening to break free. "Please, Yuzuru. Let me believe what you have always believed; that living is a wonderful thing!"

He stepped forward unsteadily. "Kanade..."

Yuzuru embraced her tightly. "I love you, Kanade. Let's stay together, forever."

"Thank you, Yuzuru. Thank you for loving me. But above all, thank you, for the gift of life that you gave me."

With her last and final thanks, she had finally relieved the regret that had kept her in this world, and was able to disappear, heading for the next life. Right before she disappeared, she leaned in close to Yuzuru and kissed him firmly on the lips. "Believe strongly enough, and we may meet again in our next lives."

Yuzuru cried desperately, not wanting to lose the person he loved after all he had gone through, with only a slim chance of reuniting with her in the future. "Please, Kanade! Please don't disappear!"

She looked at him and smiled, tears running down her face. "Thank you, Yuzuru."

He stumbled as her body vanished into thin air. Yuzuru screamed as the pain of losing the one person in this world he loved disappeared. He sat back onto the steps and hugged himself, tears streaming from his eyes, as he whispered to himself. "Kanade..."

His tears slowly began to slow as he stood up straight and stared at the sun. _I will believe, and I will hope, that one day, we will be together again._ With his last hopes and wishes focused on that one single goal, he raised his eyes to the skies above and closed them. Inside himself, he accepted his life, and removed every regret that tied him to the afterlife. As he let his breath go, his vision began to turn white. Yuzuru smiled and said, in a voice filled with longing and hope, "I'm coming, Kanade."

As his vision completely faded, Otonashi Yuzuru left the world of the afterlife, heading to a brighter new future.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Hooray for a rewritten recap! Ahhhh! It's just so sad! Don't worry! I will make things better in the next chapters! STOP CRYING! PLEASEEEEEE!

Thanks for reading, and please review or PM me suggestions. I really appreciate it and they help me write more (and better, for that matter.)

~TabiNoTochuu


	2. Book I  Extra: Character Biographies

Once Upon a Dream:

Character introductions and biographies!

**Author's Note:**

I thought this would be a good idea before I publish the next chapter of this fan fiction. This will be updated constantly as new characters come into play. There will be some hints of what will happen in the end, but I think that it's better than nothing! Please bear in mind I made these names up using a random name generator, so I don't know if these are genuine Japanese names. At least it sounds normal, so that's what counts!

Until next time!

~TabiNoTochuu

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><p>1.) Nakamura Junichi<p>

Age: 16

Notes: He is the reincarnation of Otonashi Yuzuru

Hobbies: Cooking, reading, practicing Kendo, working at a part-time job, hanging out with his friends.

Favorite foods: None really, but he has a preference towards pork ramen

Details: Nakamura Junichi. Your average high school student, with decent grades and a goal for after-university life. He was pulled into the school's kendo team by one of his friends, and decided to continue since he was fairly good at it. Through several fights against people who despised his orange hair or his nature, he discovered that he had a specialability that grants him super-human like reflexes and instincts, though it is only activated in life-threatening situations. When he begins high school, he starts having dreams about a girl named Tachibana Kanade, and the dreams continue. Though he may be the reincarnation of Yuzuru, he has no memories of his time in the afterlife, and relies on the power and influence of his dreams to reunite himself with Kanade, though he does this unconsciously.

Dream Job: Doctor

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><p>2.) Nagase Hitomi<p>

Age: 16

Notes: She is the reincarnation of Tachibana Kanade

Hobbies: Reading, cooking, playing the piano and the violin, using the computer.

Favorite foods: Mapo Tofu

Details: Ever since she was little, Nagase Hitomi was considered different from the other children. It wasn't because of her mental capacity, which was well above others her age, but because of her physical appearance. She had been born with silver hair and golden eyes, something that set her apart from everyone else. As a result, she is quite shy around large groups of people. Due to family issues, she had to transfer to Junichi's school. After meeting him, she goes to get her bags, and is assaulted by some gangsters on her way back. Junichi manages to save her. After discovering she does not have a place to stay, he offers to let her stay in his house. Eventually, though she does not make it obvious, Hitomi begins to fall in love with him.

Dream job: Musician or Computer Programmer

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><p>3.) Sadao Ishii<p>

Age: 16

Hobbies: Playing video games, doing sports, working at his part-time job, hanging out near arcades.

Favorite foods: Western-style hamburger steak.

Details: Self-proclaimed ladies man with a strange taste for food, Sadao Ishii isn't really a person you'd like to meet. He looks like a dangerous person, earning him the nickname of the "Black-haired Devil". To most people, Ishii just seems like your average delinquent, seeing as how he rarely pays attention in class and spends his free time either working, playing sports or video games. However, he is actually a very kind person, much like Junichi in nature. For that reason, they have been best friends since childhood, and continue to be friends, giving each other advice at times. Even though he seemingly does not care about his school life, he has nearly perfect grades, due to his ability to retain any important information that he reads. The current rumor with that is that he bullies an upperclassman to give him the answers.

Dream Job: Professional athlete

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><p>4.) Fukuda Izumi<p>

Age: 16

Hobbies: Cooking, playing the flute, reading, shopping.

Favorite foods: Grilled salmon

Details: A seemingly normal high school girl, she is another one of Junichi's classmates that he has known since childhood. Outwardly, she is kind and gentle, but can fly into a rage at any given moment, depending on circumstances. Over the years she's been with Junichi, Izumi had gradually fallen in love with him, though she herself refuses to completely acknowledge the fact. She is an UBER tsundere, and gets mad at Junichi if he gets too close to another girl or if he says something to her that embarrasses her.

Dream Job: Teacher (Either Kindergarten or Middle school)

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><p>5.) Fujihara Masami<p>

Age: 28

Hobbies: Teaching, giving out advice, drinking coffee at a shop overlooking the river.

Favorite Foods: Anything. Just give it to her, and if it's edible, she'll eat it.

Details: Fujihara Masami is the 28-year old teacher of classroom 3-A and the teacher of Junichi, Ishii, Izumi, and later, Hitomi. She is a very helpful person, and students often come to her for advice on a variety of topics. She loves to sing and eventually begins to get closer to Hitomi after she plays a song that Fujihara-sensi knows. Later, she will be giving Hitomi the courage and strength to confess to Junichi.

Dream Job: Singer, but she's ok with teaching as well

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><p>6.) Fujimoto Ibuki<p>

Note: Main protagonist

Age: 18

Hobbies: Getting people to do what he wants, gambling, drag racing

Favorite foods: Noodles (Doesn't matter what kind)

Details: The grandson of the legendary Fujimoto Takeo, Ibuki is a descendant of one of the most powerful and ruthless Yakuza branches in the area. He has access to nearly unlimited resources and is feared at the school. He takes a liking to Hitomi and attempts to steal her away from Junichi multiple times, though he wasn't successful.

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><p>7.) Fujimoto Takeo<p>

Age: 75

Hobbies: Sitting in the sun, going to the spa

Favorite foods: Mango Ice cream

Details: The head of one of the most powerful criminal organizations within a 100 mile radius. However, due to recent events, he has decided to start moving off violent crime so as to ease the burden on both his men and the police. A temporary peace has begun due to his actions, though his grandson seems to disagree with his actions.

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><p>8.) Kuroda Yuki<p>

Age: 18

Hobbies: Practicing kendo, hiking, playing the piano

Favorite foods: Fruits

Details: Yuki is the head of the Senior kendo team who takes Junichi under his wing. He's kind, caring, and, above all, a very talented person. He first helps Junichi with his kendo, then provides advice for Hitomi when he overhears her talking to herself about her feelings for Junichi. However, he falls in love with Izumi, despite her affection for Junichi.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

I'm slowly starting to write more, working on new fronts and trying out new writing styles. I will be introducing new characters in the next chapter, as well as one of the central conflicts revolving around the reincarnated Otonashi and Kanade. I expect it to be finished by the end of the week, but, depending on my workload, it could come earlier or later.

~TabiNoTochuu

**Update 1: **Once Upon a Dream Chapter 3 EDA (Estimated Date of Arrival: 3/8/2012)


	3. Book I  Chapter 2: Dream and Reality

**Author's Note: **Wow. This might just be the longest chapter I've ever written. But, it's mostly development, so I had A LOT to put in. I'm hoping to turn this into a more original story, with a plotline that is (hopefully) different than others. This took me quite a long time to write, but I did have fun creating the personas for the various characters. Yes, they will not be the same as they were in the afterlife, but there will be some similarities, and that will be what draws them together.

For detailed information on the characters, see the previous chapter. I will be adding to it as the story progresses, changing existing ones and adding new characters that will show up.

For now, please enjoy the newest chapter of my Angel Beats! fan fiction!

Remember to review and/or PM me suggestions of what you want to see in later chapters!

Until next time!

~TabiNoTochuu

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><p>Book I<p>

Chapter 2: Dream and Reality

*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*

Junichi Nakamura opened his eyes. Rubbing his eyes, he looked over at his clock. "Ah... It's only 6:15... Its still too early to get up..."

He laid his head back down and tried to go back to sleep, but with little success. The dream he had just a while before was still in his mind. _What was that, I wonder..._ He sighed and got up from his bed. He walked over to the small kitchen in his apartment and began cooking breakfast. As he passed the calendar on the wall, he sighed. "Today... my first day at high school..."

He finished breakfast and washed the dishes before changing into his new school uniform and leaving his apartment. After making sure the door was locked, he walked down to the first floor, where he retrieved his bicycle from the storage area. As he began his trip, something in front of him caught his attention. A flash of silver. He stood on his tiptoes, straining his eyes, but whatever it was had already disappeared into the crowd. Junichi sighed to himself. _What's up with me today? I feel... so out of it... is it because of that dream?_

He arrived at school a few minutes before the opening ceremony was scheduled to start, and he quickly locked up his bicycle before running towards the gymnasium, where groups of students had already begun to file inside. The ceremony soon started, with introductions from some of the teachers, as well as a speech from the student council president. As Junichi stood there listening to the president's speech, his mind began to wander, thinking back to the dream he had last night.

A small poke on the shoulder brought him back to reality. He grinned sheepishly at his friend standing in the row next to him. "Sorry, sorry."

His friend, Izumi Fukuda, sighed and returned her gaze to the stage at the front of the gym. "Jeez... you've been staring off into space for quite a long time now... What could you possibly be thinking about right now, baka?"

Junichi thought back to his dream. _Should I tell her? I mean, there shouldn't be anything wrong with that, right? Though, I would feel a bit awkward telling her all that..._ Something at the back of his mind nagged at him, and he decided not to tell her. "Ah- it's nothing. I just slept a little too late last night, so I'm a bit tired."

Izumi didn't look too convinced, but let it go. "Sleeping late and dozing off at the opening ceremony? What a way to start your first year of high school... Get more sleep then! You can't be falling asleep in class, right?"

He turned to smile at her again. "Sorry for troubling you, Izumi-chan. I'll make sure to get enough sleep tonight."

As the student council president finished his speech and ensuing pep talk, the opening ceremony officially ended. As Junichi was leaving the gymnasium, a student up ahead caught his attention. The female student had flowing silver hair, and, as she turned around, her golden eyes drew his gaze. _Who is she? She's beautiful... Wait... Golden eyes? She's just like that girl from my dream... Could she really be-_ He shook himself, trying to rid himself of these thoughts. "What am I thinking... That was just a dream. Of course that isn't the same person." However, as he continued to look at her, "Still... there's definitely something familiar about her..."

The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully as he went up to class and met his new teachers and greeted old friends and classmates. As the final bell rang, the teacher shouted, "Don't forget, we will be choosing our class representatives tomorrow!"

"Yo, Nakamura!"

"Ah, Ishii, it's you."

"Ehhh? What's with that reaction? Whatever. Oh, right! Hey, you should totally go run for class rep!"

Junichi laughed. "Me, a class rep? Don't joke around, man. There's no possible way."

Sadao Ishii frowned. "Why not? You were a great leader in sports and stuff all through middle school. I don't think being a class rep is too different."

Junichi sighed. "Alright, alright. I understand. If you really think I'll have a chance at winning, I might as well give it a shot. No promises though."

Ishii grinned delightfully. "Excellent. I've always wondered what it would be like for me to know the class representative well."

Junichi gave his friend a dark stare. "Don't tell me that's why you want me to run for class rep..."

Ishii laughed and ran out the door. "Good luck, Jun! I know you'll do well!"

Junichi rubbed the back of his neck before leaving the room and heading for the courtyard, where he had locked his bicycle. He undid the lock and pedaled home, hoping to get back early enough to cook himself a decent dinner and still have time to relax.

Arriving at his apartment complex, he stored his bicycle in the communal garage and walked up to his apartment on the third floor. He opened the door, dropped off his bags, then walked over to the kitchen. He made himself a Western-style dinner, and, after eating, decided to sleep early.

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><p>The dream came as soon as he closed his eyes. However, unlike his previous dream, this one was only a fragmented section of it, repeating over and over again. In it, he was standing on the steps of the same high school that was in his other dream. The silver-haired girl was in front of him, and he reached out to her. His lips moved, but no sound came out. She turned around to face him. With a smile on her face, but tears in her eyes, she spoke to him, though he could only hear bits and pieces of what she said to him. However, there was one sentence that he heard clearly. "If you believe strongly enough, then maybe we can be together again in the future."<p>

Every time, as he reached out to pull her into his arms, to tell her to stay with him forever, she would disappear, leaving him with nothing but an incalculable amount of pain. The dream repeated itself, always showing the same scene, though he heard just a little bit more of her words every time it repeated.

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><p>Junichi's eyes snapped open. <em>What... was that dream? <em>He reached up to rub his face, only to discover he had been silently crying, tears making a silent tract down his face. "Tch... To think a mere dream would make me cry like this..."

He stretched and got up. Junichi glanced over at the clock and nearly fell over. "6:45? CRAP! I have to hurry or I'm gonna be late for my first real day of school!"

He tidied up the room quickly and rushed out the door. Grabbing his bike from the garage below, he began pedaling furiously, weaving in and out, desperately trying to avoid pedestrians and obstacles alike. Through his efforts, he managed to arrive a few minutes before the bell, gasping for breath. Junichi locked up his bicycle and made his way up to his classroom.

He sat down at his desk just as the bell rang, and the teacher, Fujihara-sensi walked into the classroom. "Alright, settle down, settle down." When the class had quieted down, she looked around. "Before we begin, I'd like to introduce a transfer student who will be joining us starting today. Please do your best to make her feel welcome, alright?"

As the class broke out into whispers, Fujihara-sensi leaned out the door. "Miss Nagase, you can come in now."

Junichi's eyes grew wide as he stared at the girl who walked into the classroom. She stood at the front of the class and swept her golden eyes across the room. "Hello, everyone. My name is Nagase Hitomi. I'm pleased to meet all of you."

"Well then, why don't you take a seat there, next to Mr. Nakamura? "

She nodded and walked over to her new seat. Suddenly embarrassed, Junichi pretended to be looking out the window. Then, he felt a small tap on his arm. "Hi. I hope that we'll be able to get along this year, uhm..."

He turned to face her and smiled warmly. "Nakamura. Junichi Nakamura. I'm pleased to meet you as well."

As soon as she saw his face, her eyes grew wide, and her hands flew to her mouth. "Yuzuru?..."

Junichi stared at her with a confused expression. "Sorry? Umm... Were you talking to me?"

She jumped. "Ah, no, no. Sorry. I must have been thinking about other things. I apologize, Nakamura-kun."

"Don't call me that," he told her with a smile. "All my friends call me Junichi, and I'd like it if you did the same."

Hitomi blushed. "...friends..." Then, when she noticed him looking at her, she smiled brilliantly and responded, "I'll do that then, Junichi-kun!"

The rest of the class period passed rather normally, though Junichi could feel Hitomi staring at him every now and then. When the bell rang for lunch, he got up, intending to head to the cafeteria to buy something to eat. Before he could leave the room, he felt a small tug on his sleeve. He turned around to see a red-faced Hitomi behind him. "Hm? What's the matter, Nagase-san? Is there something wrong?"

"Um... Could you possibly show me to the cafeteria? I'm still relatively new to the school, so I'm not too sure where everything is yet."

Junichi nodded. "Yeah, sure! I'm just warning you though, I'm a first-year student like you, so I might get lost too."

Hitomi beamed at him. "Y-yeah! Thanks, Junichi-kun."

They headed down to the cafeteria, where they ate lunch together. As they ate, they talked about various things, and Junichi began to learn more about her and began to enjoy the time he was spending with her. After school, she walked with him down to the courtyard and waited for him while he got his bicycle. "I guess I'll have to leave you here, Junichi-kun. I need to go down to the station and pick up some of my bags."

"Would you like some help? I need to go that way anyways to buy some groceries."

Hitomi smiled at him. "Don't worry about me. I'll see you tomorrow, Junichi-kun!"

"Ah, wait up, Nagase-san! At least let me give you a ride down to the station. It just doesn't feel right for me to be riding there while you have to walk."

"E-eh? J-Junichi-kun, you really don't have to."

"Don't worry about it. I'm going the same way as you are, so this is more convenient."

"But... Junichi-kun... Where will I sit?"

He patted the space between the handlebars. "Here." Seeing her worried look, he laughed. "Don't worry, Nagase-san! It's perfectly safe, and I promise to go slowly."

She slowly climbed up and sat down between the handlebars. "Hold on tight!" Junichi warned her as he began pedaling. They went slowly at first, but then he gradually began pedaling faster as he got used to her sitting in front of him. Arriving at the station, he stopped the bike and carefully helped her down from her seat. "Uhm... Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Nagase-san."

She turned and smiled at him before walking into the station. "See you tomorrow, Junichi-kun!"

He waved and rode away, heading for the grocery store a few blocks down. After he had finished buying enough groceries for the week, the sun had already begun to set. "Ah, damn... Looks like I took a little too long..." As he rode away, he noticed an alley that cut through an entire block. "Hmm... might as well..."

As he passed one side street in the alley, he heard a muffled scream, as well as laughter. Junichi set his bike down and pulled out his wooden _kendo_ sword from the bag on the back of his bicycle. Slowly, he made his way back to the side street and peeked around the corner. His heart pounded as he saw Nagase Hitomi surrounded by a gang of five men. All of them were armed with weapons ranging from pistols to knives, and one of them, presumably the leader, was speaking to Hitomi. Junichi took advantage of the shadows and snuck closer to them. "Look here, miss. Why don't you let us take a look inside those bags? I'd hate to see a pretty girl like you get hurt over something like this."

From where he was hiding, Junichi could see her shaking from fear. An unnatural rage began building in him, a rage that grew larger with every passing moment. "Please! I only have some books and clothes with me, nothing else! I swear that I don't have anything of value!"

Junichi tightened his grip on the wooden shinai. _I can't just sit here and let them hurt Nagase-san! But what can I possibly do against five armed men? __**Help her. Save her.**_Junichi looked around in confusion as the thought rose unbidden to his mind. _That's right... I have to save her... but how?_ _**Observe, evaluate, react. The knowledge to overpower them is in your mind. You just have to unlock it.**_ Junichi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _I don't know who that is, but he's right. I can do this. I can save Nagase-san._

Just then, the gang leader grew tired of trying to get Hitomi to give up her bags. He grabbed her arm and twisted it, causing her to cry out in pain. "That's enough, you low-lifes."

The gang members whirled around in surprise and shock. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Junichi stepped into the light, his shinai on his shoulder, and a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Oh. It's just some kid..." The leader laughed. "Beat it, kid. If you leave quickly enough, maybe I'll decide not to put a bullet in you."

Junichi stopped moving and continued glaring at the gang. "Alright. If you want me to leave, then I'll be happy to." he paused slightly. "However, I will be taking her with me."

The gang members began to laugh at this kid, this high school boy who was telling them what to do. Hitomi raised her head and screamed at him. "No! Get out of here, Junichi-kun! Don't worry about me!"

He flashed a grin at her. "Now what kind of person would I be if I just left you here? I'm here to take you away from these people, Nagase-san."

The gang leader snorted. "A regular knight in shining armor we got here. Last chance kid, get out of here or you can get carried out of here by the police." He leveled his pistol at Junichi, aiming for his chest.

"Like I'd leave her with you. I'm not leaving here without her."

The gang leader laughed. "Well, you're definitely not going to be leaving here, that's for sure!"

With that, he pulled the trigger and fired. To Junichi, it felt like time had slowed to a crawl. He could see the bullet leave the gun, could see it begin its path that would lead it to penetrate his heart. He could see the path that it would take, and where it would land. His hand came up and intercepted the bullet.

Junichi was blown backwards from the force of the bullet. Hitomi screamed as the gang members laughed among themselves. "Junichi-kun!"

The leader grabbed her face. "Oh be quiet. Your precious little boyfriend should have listened to us. It's his own fault that he ended up dead."

She glared up at him with tear-filled eyes. "He isn't dead! He can't be dead! I won't believe it."

He growled and put his gun next to her head. "I've had enough. Give me those bags, girl. We've wasted enough time here as it is."

Suddenly, there was a blur of motion, and something made a sickening crack on the back of the gang leader's head. As he staggered away, Hitomi saw Junichi standing there, holding his shinai with one hand. The rest of the gang was speechless with fear and disbelief. "H-how? I know the boss shot you! I saw the bullet hit you!"

Junichi grinned ferally and lifted his hand. "You mean... this bullet?" He opened his bloodied hand, and a bullet fell out. "I didn't expect it to have so much force though."

Frightened, the gang members with guns pointed them at him and began firing. Junichi weaved among the bullets with ease, occasionally deflecting one off the side of his shinai. Hitomi could only stare at him. "Junichi-kun... Is this really you?" She felt herself beginning to blush. He seemed so powerful, so in control, but above all, so _familiar_.

In what seemed like an instant, it was over. All of the gang members were on the floor, unconscious. Junichi walked over to Hitomi and knelt down next to her. "Nagase-san, are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

She finally gave in to the fear and buried her face in his chest. "I-I was so scared!" She cried. "I thought that they were going to k-kill me!"

Junichi stroked her hair. "Shhh... It's alright now. You're safe."

After a while, Hitomi calmed down. "I'm fine now, Junichi-kun."

He helped her up and picked up her bags. "If it's alright with you, why don't you come over to my house for a bit? I'll make you dinner, and you can try and relax a little bit there."

She nodded and got to her feet. He helped her over to where his bike was lying and put her bags on top of his own. "Let's go, before they come back."

Hitomi clung to his arm as they set out down the alley, still shaking from the ordeal she had just been through not ten minutes ago. Arriving at the apartment building, Junichi dropped off the bicycle at the storage area, then led Hitomi up to the third floor. He opened the door to his apartment and dropped off the bags inside. "Umm... It's not much, but make yourself at home."

Junichi walked into the bathroom to start a bath, while outside, Hitomi walked over to his bed and sat down on it. As he walked out of the bathroom, he saw Hitomi on his bed, he smiled and walked over to her. "Nagase-san, the bath will be ready soon. Do you have some spare clothes in your bag? If not, I can lend you something to wear, if you'd like."

She nodded. "Thank you, Junichi-kun." Hitomi stood up and walked over to the bathroom. After the tub was full, she undressed and carefully laid her clothes on a chair near the door. She got into the tub, and just laid there, soaking in the hot water, letting the heat relax her body and set her mind at ease. Then, there was a knock at the door, bringing her out of her reverie. "Junichi-kun?"

"Nagase-san, I have your clothes here. I'll just leave them on the chair, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you, Junichi-kun."

"Oh, and dinner should be ready soon, so please look forward to that."

He opened the door a bit and set her clean clothes down on the chair before picking up the clothes she just took off, muddied and dirty. "Nagase-san, I'm going to throw your clothes into the washing machine! Is that alright?"

"Sure!"

Junichi took her clothes over to the washing machine and dropped them inside. He set the timer and went back to cooking dinner. Not sure of her tastes, he decided to make something simple, and cooked rice, some teriyaki chicken, and miso soup. _Not much for dinner, but I guess it'll have to do for today. _Just as he finished cooking, he heard the bathroom door open. "Ah, Nagase-san, you're right on time. Dinner is-"

Junichi felt his words catch in his throat as he turned to look at Hitomi. She stood there in a white dress shirt and black skirt, her hair still wet from the bath. He felt himself begin to blush as he stared at her. _Absolutely beautiful... She really is like the girl from my dream..._ He started as he realized he was still staring at her. He coughed and continued. "Dinner is ready, Nagase-san."

* * *

><p>After dinner, Hitomi sat in the living room, reading a book she brought out from her bag while Junichi washed the dishes. As he looked over at the clock, he jumped. "It's nine o'clock already? Nagase-san, shouldn't you be getting home? I'm sorry I kept you here for so long."<p>

At this, Hitomi lowered her head and muttered something. "Nagase-san? I didn't catch that."

She turned to face him, her face red with embarrassment. "I asked if it was okay for me to stay here."

Junichi felt his own face begin to heat up as he processed her request. "E-eh? Well, I certainly don't have any objections to it..." _Stupid! Of course I have objections to it! What am I saying? _"... I guess you can stay, but only if you promise to tell me why you insist on staying."

Hitomi smiled at him. "I promise." When she noticed him looking at her with a stony expression, she realized what he meant. "Oh. You meant right now."

"Yeah. Why don't you want to go back to your home?"

She took a deep breath and began to talk. "Junichi-kun, you know that I transferred here, right?"

"Yes, I do."

"Well, unlike where I lived before, there is nothing for me here. No one I know, not even a place to live. My parents had originally decided to have me live at a hotel or an apartment, but they don't understand why I can't do that." Her shoulders began to shake, and Junichi was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "I don't like being alone, especially in a dark, empty apartment or hotel room. If I were to live in such a place, I don't think I'd be able to take it." At this point, she was crying noisily. "S-s-so, that's why I wanted to stay here. I feel safe being with you. But if I'm being a hindrance to you, I'll leave, but please let me stay, at least for tonight."

Junichi walked over to her. "Baka."

"Eh?"

Hitomi's eyes widened in surprise as he grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace. "There's no way I could do that to you. What kind of person would I be if I ignored a plea of help from someone like you?" He reached over and wiped the tears from her face. "Don't worry, Nagase-san. If it'll make you feel better, please stay as long as you like."

She smiled in relief and gripped him tightly. Then, she whispered, "Then, could you call me Hitomi?"

A bit surprised, but happy nevertheless, Junichi nodded and patted her back. "Yeah, of course I can... Hitomi."

Breaking their embrace, he walked over to the bedroom. "Ah, as for sleeping arrangements, you can take the bed. I'll set up a futon for myself in the living room."

He felt her small hands grab his. "I'm okay with you sleeping in the same room as me. If you do, then maybe the darkness won't feel so scary."

Junichi felt his face heat up once more. "But... A guy and a girl shouldn't be sleeping in the same room, even if you're alright with it..."

She turned him around to face her and looked directly into his eyes. "Junichi, please?"

He had the strangest feeling of deja vu as she pleaded with him. _Something feels familiar about this... Maybe it's related to my dream somehow? _"Alright, alright. I got it."

Her face burst into a wide smile as he went into the bedroom again and began setting up the futon. He finished and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he came back out, the door to the bedroom was closed. "Hmm?"

He knocked on the door. "Hitomi, is something wrong?"

He heard a small yelp of surprise from the other side of the door. "D-don't scare me like that, Junichi..."

"Sorry. Why did you close the door?"

"Well... I'm c-changing..."

Junichi blushed and smacked himself on the forehead. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. That's the most obvious thing in the world. _He heard the door open. "Umm... You can come in now, Junichi..."

He walked in and climbed into his futon. Before he turned off the lights, he turned to look at Hitomi one last time. "Good night, Hitomi."

She smiled peacefully. "Good night, Junichi."

He turned off the light and laid back on the futon. For the first time in a long time, there were no dreams when he closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>*Morning*<p>

The buzzing of the alarm brought Junichi back from the world of his slumber. Groaning, he reached out and hit the snooze button. He sat up and rubbed his face. "Oi, Hitomi. It's time to get up, or we might be late for school..."

When there was no response, he looked over at the bed. It was empty, with the covers neatly made. There was no sign that someone had slept in it the night before. Junichi jumped to his feet and flung open the bedroom door. As his rushed into the living room, the smell of bacon and eggs assaulted his nose. Hitomi was standing in the kitchen, humming to herself as she cooked. _I see... she just got up earlier than I did..._ Embarrassed from worrying, Junichi walked into the kitchen. "Ah! Good morning, Junichi!"

Her greeting was energetic and happy, and that same energy infected Junichi as he felt himself smile unintentionally. "Good morning to you too. I didn't know you could cook, Hitomi."

She nodded enthusiastically. "Of course I can! It's one of my most favorite hobbies!"

Just then, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." Junichi walked over to the door and opened it.

Izumi was standing outside, already dressed in her school uniform. "Good morning, Junichi-kun!"

"Oh, Izumi-chan. It was you."

"Hmmm? Is that any way to greet a friend? Jeez... You're so impolite, Junichi-kun."

At that precise moment, Hitomi stepped out into the hallway, dressed in her apron. "Junichi! The breakfast is-"

An awkward silence fell as Izumi stared at Hitomi, then back at Junichi. The peaceful morning atmosphere was rent with a loud scream. "JUNICHI-KUN! WHAT WERE YOU DOING, YOU PERVERT? WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH OUR NEW TRANSFER STUDENT?"

"A-a-ah... Izumi-chan, I forgot to tell you... Hitomi is going to be staying at my house from now on."

Izumi's eyes contained a dangerous glint. "Oh, really now... There had better be a good explanation for this, Junichi-kun... If not, I will bring Heaven's punishment down upon you."

With a final _humph_, Izumi stormed away, leaving a stunned Junichi and a very confused Hitomi behind. They turned to stare at each other. "What a great way to start a day..." Junichi said sarcastically.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's notes: <strong>

Well that was certainly interesting. Junichi (AKA Otonashi) has super-reflexes that allows him to catch a bullet! O_o

In the next chapter, I will be introducing the reincarnations of Yui, Hinata, and Yuri, so be prepared for the epicness that will ensue. None of them remember each other though, so starting from scratch will pose difficult challenges.

~TabiNoTochuu

P.S. A shinai is a weapon used for practice and competition in kendo representing a Japanese sword.


	4. Book I  Chapter 3: Unexpected Feelings

**Author's Note: **Well, well, well. It's been a while since I worked on this story, mainly because I was busy with piano, school, and a whole bunch of other stuff all bundled together into one amazing, sleep-depriving ball. But, anyways, here's chapter 3 of my Angel Beats! fan fic!

As for this story, I have decided to split it off into 4-5 main sections (labeled: Book I, Book II, Book III, Book IV, ect.) Most likely, this chapter will be the end of book I. Don't worry though. The story will continue, but maybe not until Book III, or I might just keep going with it. Truthfully, I'm not sure how I'll split it, but I'm working on it!

Also, I will be dedicating book II to a YuiXHinata storyline, with Kanade and Yuzuru playing minor roles in the back.

Right now, I'm leaning more towards something like this:

Book I: KanadeXYuzuru

Book II: YuiXHinata, with some KanadeXYuzuru

Book III:

* * *

><p>Book I<p>

Chapter 3: Unexpected Feelings

Junichi was already dreading the day ahead of him. The girl that stood next to him with a brilliant smile on her face wasn't helping things either. Since they were now living under the same roof, Hitomi had naturally decided that they should walk to school together. "... Hitomi?"

"Yes, Junichi?"

"Uhm... Could you not walk so close to me?"

"Hmmm? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"A-ah... Not really, but I just don't want people to misunderstand."

She nodded in agreement, but continued to walk next to him. Junichi sighed in exasperation, but decided not to comment. "Oh, by the way... We shouldn't let it be known that you're staying in my apartment. It would cause trouble for both of us. So, be careful not to accidentally say something, okay?"

Her face reddened slightly. "... That's right... I got it."

She remained silent for the rest of the walk to the school, and didn't speak until they had reached the door to their classroom. As they walked through the door together, whispers broke out among the students already gathered.

_"Junichi with the new transfer student? That's something you don't see everyday."_

_ "Is there something going on between those two?"_

_ "Man... He's so lucky a girl like that likes him..."_

_ "Are they... going out?"_

Junichi sighed and ignored the whispers as he walked to his seat. As the bell rang to signal the start of homeroom, Fujihara-sensei rushed into the room, her face flushed from running. "Settle down, settle down! Apparently, in the excitement of yesterday, we forgot to choose our class representatives... We'll hurry and pick them before we start class so I don't get yelled at by the principal."

Ishii raised his hand. "Sensei! I would like to nominate Nakamura Junichi for the position!"

Junichi sighed and lowered his head. _I guess he was being serious... _"Do we have anyone else who's going to try for male class rep?" The room was silent for a brief moment. "Eh... In that case, let's move on to the female representative! Let's start taking nomin-"

Ishii raised his hand again. "Sensei! I would like to nominate Nagase Hitomi for this position!"

"Eh? Nagase-san?"

Ishii secretly winked at Junichi and nodded. "Yeah! Wouldn't it be easier for her to get used to this school if she's working as the class rep? Besides, if there's any problems, I'm sure Junichi will easily be able to handle it."

Fujihara-sensei pursed her lips thoughtfully. "That is a good point... In any case, are there any objections?" The room was silent. "Well... that was easy! Now, everyone, get out your textbooks and turn to page 25. We'll start with where we left off yesterday."

A general groan went around the classroom as everyone pulled out their textbooks to begin another day at school.

* * *

><p>After class had ended, Junichi walked out of the classroom, headed for the lockers on the first floor. Halfway down the hallway, he felt a tug on his sleeve. "... Junichi. Are you going home yet?"<p>

"Ah, not just yet. I have practice today."

Hitomi stared at him curiously. "Hm? What sport do you play?"

"Um... I'm on the junior kendo team."

Her eyes widened in surprise and she stared at him in admiration. "Amazing... In that case, would you mind if I came?"

"Eh?"

"Let me go too!" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Besides... it's not like I can go home right now..."

"Oh... right. I should have a spare key made for you sometime this week then... Well, in that case, you won't have to wait for me if I need to wait a really long time after school or something."

She smiled up at him. "That would be great. So, until then, I guess I'll be staying after to watch your kendo practices."

As he looked at her eager, smiling face, there was no way Junichi could refuse her request. "Sure, if that's what you want. Let me go get my gear from my locker first, then we'll head over to the gym for practice."

He retrieved his bag and looked over at Hitomi. "Um... Shall we go?"

She nodded happily. "Sure!"

Truthfully, Junichi felt extremely nervous about bringing Hitomi with him to practice. Today was the placement matches for the Junior kendo team to determine ranks and who would receive the title of Junior team captain.

_I'm just afraid I'll mess up in front of her... For some reason, I feel like I should do well for Hitomi... _He glanced over at her. _No... I WILL do well. I have to believe that._

They reached the door to the locker room, and he turned to face her. "I'm going to go change into my uniform now. I guess you can go sit in the bleachers. I don't think there's going to be anyone else watching anyways."

She stood on her tiptoes and lightly kissed his cheek. "Good luck, Junichi!"

A bit surprised by her own bold actions, she quickly turned and ran into the gym. Junichi was left there, with a hand on his cheek, a dazed look on his face. He shook off his astonishment and entered the changing room. He pulled on his loose-fitting uniform and picked up his mask and shinai. He stepped out into the gym, where the other members of the Junior kendo team were already gathered.

The captain of the Senior kendo team, Yuki Kuroda, walked out and had them form into rows of four. "Welcome to your placement matches. Today, I will be pairing you off against a random member from the Senior team. Your performance will be judged by the top five members of the Senior team, and you will be ranked according to our opinions." He smiled. "Should anyone manage to defeat one of these regulars, and with ease, I will award that person the rank of captain."

The Junior team split off and were paired with various members. Junichi felt a sense of dread as he was paired off against a fairly high-ranking regular. He tightened his grip on his shinai and took a deep breath. As he looked off to the side, he saw Hitomi sitting in the bleachers, her face determined, as if she was fighting instead of him. Seeing her expression calmed him considerably. _That's right. Hitomi is here with me. There's no way I would embarrass myself in front of her... I'll just have to beat this guy somehow._

Yuki looked around at the assembled members and pulled out his whistle. An ear-piercing trill filled the air. "Begin!"

Instantly, the air was filled with the sound of clacking wood. Every now and then, one of the Junior members yelled out in shock as a blow made it past their guard. However, Junichi blocked out all of this and concentrated on his opponent. "Oh? You seem better than the rest of that lot..."

Junichi smirked. "Complimenting me in the middle of a battle?"

His opponent smiled. "Of course. Now, shall we get started? I doubt you'll even land a hit on me, but I'll wish you luck anyways."

"... Be careful what you wish for."

Junichi dashed forward, headed for the right side of his opponent. His eyes flashed as he gauged the downward arc of his opponent's shinai. As it curved to intercept his path, it happened again. Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Junichi easily deflected the shinai off of his own.

"What?"

He took advantage of his opponent's shock to initiate a series of blows, each one more complex than the one before it. Finally, one well placed blow broke through his opponent's defense. Only then was he aware that the entire gym had gone silent. _Did I do something wrong? ... it's only day one, and I'm already making mistakes... _From behind him came the sound of clapping.

Yuki smiled. "Well... it looks like we have a regular here. Well done. You have earned yourself the rank of Captain."

Junichi turned around, bewildered. _I... was made the captain? I really didn't even do all that much!_

Yuki called over the other members of the team and made his announcement. "I will have the roster for the team posted tomorrow. We've seen a great deal of talent within this group, and I look forward to training with you in this next year."

A chorus of "Yes, sir"s followed his announcement. Junichi turned his head to look at Hitomi. She smiled at him, and got up from the bleachers. As he started his walk back to the dressing room, he noticed the Senior member he had defeated staring at Hitmoi. He instantly felt a sense of unease and rushed to the changing room. He pulled on his clothes and ran out of the gym. "Hitomi! Hey, Hitomi! Where are you?"

From around the corner, he heard what sounded like a heated debate. As he neared the corner of the gym, Junichi heard Hitomi's voice. "... and I won't go out with someone like you, no matter how many times you ask. For the last time, I will not go out with you."

A sneering male voice answered her, a voice that sent chills down Junichi's spine. "I won't take no for an answer. I'll just have to... _convince_ you."

Junichi stepped around the corner and placed himself in front of Hitomi. "Who the hell are you?"

The other boy glared at him. "Ah... it's you. Beat it, kid. You got lucky today, but don't think your luck will last forever if you stay in my way."

Junichi lifted his shinai and pointed it at the other boy. "Try me. If you want a rematch against me, then I'll be happy to fight you. But, leave my girlfriend out of this."

The Senior kendo member raised his eyebrows. "A guy like you with a girl like her? Please..."

Junichi leaned down. "Sorry, Hitomi..." he whispered.

_What do you mean? _Her eyes widened as he kissed her, soft and tender. "Convinced now? Stay away from her, unless you want to pick a fight with me."

The other boy glared at Junichi in hate. "I'll remember this... Don't think I'll let you off for free."

After he had left, Junichi slumped against the wall. "Whew... That was a close one. Are you alright, Hitomi?"

"A-ah! Y-yes! I'm fine!"

"Umm... Are you sure? You sound a bit flustered."

"N-no... It's just... How should I say this..."

Her face was a bright shade of crimson. "Why did you say I was your g-g-girlfriend? And why did you... k-k-k-k-kiss me?"

Junichi felt his own face heat up quite a bit. "A-ah... ummm... Well... I thought that maybe, if he thought you were taken, he wouldn't bother you anymore."

"I-i-is that so?"

The awkward silence between them reached an uncomfortable level, neither person being able to say something to the other. The only sound in the air was the noises of the city in the distance. "Ummm... H-hitomi?"

"Y-y-yes?"

"We should get going. Standing around here is just a waste of time."

"Y-you're right. Let's go, Junichi."

They walked silently toward the school gates. Junichi groaned inwardly. _What in the world possessed me to do that? _"Hey... Junichi."

"Hm? Is there something wrong?"

"Umm..." Her face was a deep shade of red. "C-could we... you know... h-h-hold hands?"

Junichi nearly fell over as he heard those words. He caught himself before he could trip and came up sputtering. "W-w-w-what in the world are you suggesting?"

She looked down in embarrassment. "W-well... I thought that since you told that guy you were my boyfriend, maybe we should actually pretend for a bit. At least until this dies down."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Well... if it'll keep creepy guys like that away from me, then I'll happily endure it for the time being."

"Hey, hey... Are you trying to compliment or insult me... I really can't tell."

Hitomi giggled, and the tension between them lessened a great deal. "Does that mean you'll do it?"

He allowed his hand to slip into hers. "Fine, fine. You win. But, don't think I'll do this for free. I'll expect repayment in the form of bentos and home-cooked meals!"

"... Is food really this first thing that comes to mind?"

Junichi laughed. "Let's go home then. There's still quite a bit of homework for us to do."

As they reached the school gates, he heard a voice from behind them. "Junichi~! Are you headed home?"

He turned around to see Izumi running towards them. "Hey, why is Nagase-san here too?" Her face darkened as she remembered. "Oh... that's right. She's living with you now."

Then, her eyes drifted downward to their interlocked hands. _Oh CRAP! Now I'm in for it! _Junichi quickly let go of Hitomi's hand and threw up his hands in an effort to block an incoming blow. "Wait, wait, wait! I can explain this, Izumi-chan!"

Her face had an unreadable expression on it as she stared at the pair in front of her. Then, without warning, she roughly pushed past them and ran down the street. "... Izumi-chan?"

He sighed and looked over at Hitomi. "I think we may have just made a huge mistake."

She seemed just as dazed and confused as he was as she nodded absentmindedly. They walked the rest of the way to Junichi's apartment in silence. The words that Izumi had muttered as she ran past Junichi reverberated in his mind.

_Junichi, you idiot._

* * *

><p>Izumi POV<p>

I had known Junichi for as long as I can possibly remember. Our parents are close friends, and we often played together when we had time. We were inseperable, anything we did, we did together. This sort of relationship lasted until middle school.

It was then that we began to drift apart. We both began to get more popular, Junichi with some athletic groups, and me with some popular girls. Our time together began to grow shorter as the years went by. In the end, we only saw each other a few times a week at best.

Somewhere, along the way, I had realized something very important. I don't know exactly when it had happened, or why, but the feeling was there. I had fallen in love with Junichi.

However, I was cowardly at the time, and hid my feelings for him deep inside my heart. I was afraid he doesn't like me in the same way, and that it would ruin our friendship. I buried my feelings and lied to myself, trying to make myself forget my love for him. I had managed to keep these feelings surpressed until today.

"Why is he going out with her... Can't he tell that I love him?" Despite my attempts to crush my affection for him, there were things I just couldn't help doing in order to spend just a little more time with him.

I gripped my pillow harder. "I should have confessed to him while I still had the chance... Now, because of that woman, I really won't be able to."

Then, suddenly, something sprang into my mind. When I first saw them, Junichi tried to explain himself. But, at the time, I was too upset to even think about speaking with him... Maybe, just maybe he'll tell me that this is all a mistake?

_No, no, no! Don't think like that, Izumi! You should know better than to get your hopes up._ I shook my head, trying to get ahold of the conflicting emotions within me. "But... I have to know for sure."

I reached for my phone and dialed a number.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Hitomi! I'm going out for a bit to buy some stuff for tomorrow, okay? I should be back within thirty minutes or so."<p>

"Sure! Be careful!"

Hitomi had just begun cleaning the dishes from dinner when the phone rang. She picked it up with one hand while she continued to wash up with the other. "Hello? Who is this?"

A female voice responded. "Is Nakamura Junichi there?"

"Ah- He just stepped out. He'll be back within the hour. May I ask who this is?"

"... It's Izumi."

"Oh! Izumi-chan! Is there something that you had to speak with Junichi about? I'll gladly pass on your message if you'd-"

"Why you?"

"Eh? Sorry?"

"Why did Junichi choose to go out with you?"

"Oh! Ummm... Well, about that. He's just pretending for a while, since some creepy guy set his eyes on me. Hopefully this will help things a bit."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other side of the line. "I see..."

"Is that all you needed to ask? I'm sorry for worrying-"

"Do you love him?"

"E-eh?"

"I asked you; do you love Junichi?"

Hitomi opened her mouth to say _no_, but hesitated. _Why am I hesitating? I don't have any feelings for him... right?_

"... N-no... I don't."

"In that case, please stay away from him."

"W-w-what are you talking about?"

"I've known Junichi longer than you have, and I'm more worthy of his love. You know nothing about him. Don't think that you, an outsider, can try and understand him just because you're living with him."

Hitomi felt like a knife had pierced her heart. _What is this feeling? ... Could it be that I've __actually fallen in love with him? Is it... because of that dream I've been having?_

"... You're wrong."

"Hm?"

"I don't know what I feel for Junichi, and I don't know him well as a person yet, but I won't let you take my one and only friend away from me."

"... We'll see about that."

There was a click as the call disconnected. Hitomi fell to the ground, unable to move. _"You know nothing about him..." _Her body began to tremble as she stood up and made her way out of the kitchen. _You're an outsider._ She flung open the door and paused at the doorway. She took one last look at the apartment behind her before she ran off into the night. _"Stay away from him."_

* * *

><p>Junichi locked up his bicycle and walked upstairs. <em>I think I'll surprise Hitomi by using this stuff I bought to make us bentos tomorrow. I'm sure she'll like it. <em>As he neared his apartment, he noticed that the door was open. He rushed inside to find the floor slick with water. The faucet in the sink was still running, and it had overflowed long ago. _Where's Hitomi? There isn't a sign of a struggle, so she must have run out... But why?_

He ran into his closet and pulled out a black silk belt and a black jacket. On the belt hung a katana and a tanto, both weathered with use. _Father, I will use these to protect someone I care about. _

He made sure to close the door and ran off to begin his search for Hitomi. Junichi found no sign of her in the immediate surrounding areas, and decided to look further out, since he had no idea how long ago Hitomi had left. As he passed one street, he saw her kneeling in the light of a street lamp. He carefully walked over to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. She jumped and slapped at his body with all her strength.

"No! Stay away from me!"

Junichi caught her arms and looked at her. Her clothing was torn in various places and she had a few small cuts on her arms and hands. "Hey, hey. Calm down, Hitomi... It's me."

She looked up at him with frightened eyes filled with tears. "J-junichi?" She lowered her head as tears leaked from her eyes. "Why did you come after me?"

He flicked her forehead. "Idiot. It's the boyfriend's job to protect his girlfriend."

"... We're only pretending though... That shouldn't give you a reason to go so far for someone like-"

He reached out and gathered her fragile body into his arms. Hitomi flinched violently as his arms wrapped around her. Hesitantly, she reached out and buried her face in his chest. _I feel so safe with him..._ Then, she remembered something important. "Ah! Junichi! There were some people chasing me! They might still be around here somewhere."

He smiled gently. "I know."

"How?"

He pointed at her body. "I don't think you can get so torn up from a walk. Don't worry though, I'll protect you."

As he pulled his jacket around her, he heard the sound of soft clapping and a very familiar voice. "Very good! It looks like you weren't lying, Nagase-san. He really IS your boyfriend."

Junichi laid his hand on the hilt of his katana and drew it out a half inch. "You again! Who are you, and why do you keep going after her?"

The other student stopped just outside the ring of light and laughed. "That's right. We haven't been properly introduced yet, have we?" He bowed in a mocking matter. "My name is Ibuki Fujimoto, ranked seventh on the Senior kendo team, and grandson of Takeo Fujimoto."

He grinned, white teeth visible in the darkness. "I'm after her for no reason other than the fact that she interests me. I will stop at nothing until she's mine."

Junichi frowned. "As expected from a descendent of the Fujimoto family. You're just as ruthless and unruly as the rumors have stated."

Hitomi tugged on the back of his shirt. "What's with the Fujimoto family? Are they really influential here?"

"The Fujimoto family are the head of the Yakuza branch of this town. No one tries to cross them, mainly because they're moving out of violent crime, but there are still the bad eggs in the basket." Junichi drew out his sword even further. "I'm warning you. Don't even think about coming any closer."

Ibuki took one step into the light, then stopped as Junichi drew his katana. "Hm? Are you sure that's a good idea? There are two armed men with me. Make the wrong move, and you end up with two holes in your chest."

He reached out towards Hitomi, who clung to the back of Junichi's shirt, trembling violently. As his hand moved closer, the katana in Junichi's hand flashed in an impossibly fast arc. Ibuki jumped back and grunted as a shallow cut appeared on his forearm. "Not bad, rookie. But you made a huge mistake."

Junichi sighed. "Damn. I was aiming to cut off his arm too..."

Ibuki raised his hand and two men appeared next to him. "Shoot them. Try and keep the girl alive if you can, but it's no big deal."

Junichi reached back and pulled the tanto from his belt. He tossed it to Hitomi. "Here, take this. Now, you can at least defend yourself."

He placed himself in front of the two men and settled into a ready stance. As the first bullet was fired, he was already on the move, swinging his sword to intercept and deflect it. However, as time passed, the effort of blocking bullets from two different directions began to take its toll on him. A few bullets managed to penetrate his defence, leaving him with cuts and burns.

Hitomi stared at the figure in front of her in astonishment. _Why? Why is he going so far for me? _She stared at the tanto in her hands. _I can't let him do this alone... Why can't I stop thinking about him?_

She unsheathed it just as a bullet stuck Junichi in the shoulder. He fell to his knees with a grunt, panting heavily. _It's no use... Even I can't stop all these bullets. If this continues, I'm going to get killed! _He looked back at Hitomi. _No... I can't die. I have to protect her, no matter what! _He felt energy race through his body and turned around. He grabbed the tanto out of her hands and raced toward the two gunmen. _My senses have sharpened so much... I can easily dodge these if it's like this._ In four slashes, it was over. Two destroyed the weapons in their hands, and the other two, made with the blunt side of the swords, knocked the two men out cold.

He sheathed the katana and tanto before he turned to look at Hitomi. "Are you alright?"

Junichi staggered as she flung her arms around him. "Hitomi? Ow, ow, ow, ow! Hey! I might be fine, but I still have a bullet in my shoulder! Lay off!"

She shook her head. "I won't! Why did you have to make me worry so much? I thought you were going to die!"

He laughed in a strained voice. "... If you keep squeezing me like that, I think I will die."

Hitomi seemed to realize what she was doing. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Junichi!"

He slowly got to his feet. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing too bad." He dusted off his pants and held out his hand to her. "Well. Shall we go home?"

She took it, her face red. "Yeah."

As he pulled her to her feet, Junichi asked a question he had remembered. "Say... Hitomi? Why did you even leave like that in the first place?"

Her face turned an even deeper shade of red. "Ah- um... it's nothing too drastic... I'll tell you tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. If it makes you uncomfortable, then I will happily say that I'd rather not know."

He winced in pain as bolts of fire seemed to shoot out from his wounds. "Guh... damn, this hurts..."

Hitomi grabbed his arm. "We should get you to the hospital!"

"No. We can't."

"Why? You'll be in danger if you get an infection from that wound."

"If I go to the hospital, they'll ask needless questions. Besides, I don't have the money to pay for it."

She bit her lip. "Well, at least let me bandage your arm."

He smiled at her, acknowledging her request. "As soon as we get home, I promise you can do whatever you want."

_Whatever I want... _Hitomi felt her face heat up as she contemplated his words. _Should I let him know about Izumi? But... I don't even know how I feel about him._

They walked all the way back to the apartment in silence. As soon as he opened the door, she roughly pushed him down on the couch before bustling around as she looked for bandages and rubbing alcohol. "Take off your shirt. I'll try and clean the wound as best as I can, but if I can't get the bullet out, you really WILL have to go to the hospital. No exceptions."

Junichi sighed, but complied with what she asked. He winced in pain as the shirt brushed across the wound.

She stared at his upper torso, her face getting slightly red as she gazed as his figure. "Hitomi? Is something wrong?"

With a shock, she realized that he had noticed her staring at him. "N-n-nothing! Now, turn so I can check out the wound."

"Like this?"

"Just a little bit more. That's - "

She froze in shock. The bullet wound itself had disappeared. Dried blood still marked the place where it had been not long ago, but the wound itself was gone. "J-J-Junichi! Why are you healed already?"

"Eh? What are you talking about?"

As he looked over at his previously injured arm, Junichi jumped up in shock. The bullet hole was truly gone. As he stood, something rolled out of his shirt and onto the floor. He picked it up and stared at it, speechless. It was the bullet that had been imbedded in his shoulder not thirty minutes ago. "What in the world is going on here..." He shook his head. "Screw it. I'm going to take a shower. Maybe when I come out, I'll discover this was all just a dream."

He got up, muttering to himself, and walked into the bathroom. Moments later, Hitomi heard the sound of running water as the shower started. She sighed and walked over to her bags. From inside one, she pulled out her laptop and booted it up. _What was with that ridiculous regeneration time? That's not human... is it? _She quickly typed in her password and waited for her desktop to load.

As she moved to start an internet browser, a small icon in the top right hand corner of the screen caught her attention. "What's this? I've never seen this before... Did I download this before I left home?" She frowned in concentration. "No... I definitely would have remembered. Maybe it's a virus?"

The name of the program caught her attention. _Why do I feel like I've seen this somewhere before?_ Beneath the icon was a simple, two word name.

_ Angel Player._

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Ok, I think I overdid it a bit in two places:

1.) The fight scene, with Junichi being a beast and blocking bullets.

2.) Izumi's little monologue.

I admit it. I think I made Izumi seem like quite a bitch, didn't I. Well, what can I say? Jealousy works wonders on people.

OH damn! The Angel Player program has popped up again! But... There's going to be a twist on it. What if it no longer corresponds to Kanade? What if it's Yuzuru who is now affected by the program? (Hand sonic? In real life? Sweeeeet.)

That's all for now! Please remember to leave a review or send me a PM with suggestions! I really appreciate any comments made.

Until Next time!

~TabiNoTochuu


	5. Book I Chapter 4: An Angel's Love

**Author's note: **Well this week has just been fine and dandy, filled with sunshine and rainbows and... oh who am I kidding. It's been a pretty crappy week for me in terms of trying to write more fanfiction. It's not that I ran out of ideas. My laptop's hard drive decided to suddenly fail on me, leaving me with no backups and no way to get my data out. Fortunately, I managed to find a way, but I still lost a lot of writing time due to that technical difficulty.

HOWEVER! I at least managed to finish another chapter here! Before I go on, I'd like to address a concern that one of my readers pointed out. Yes, this story has the Angel Player program in it. However, it's barely even worth mentioning, as it will only come up like four times in the story. It is NOT an important aspect to my story, other than to add more things from the afterlife into the story.

With that, please enjoy the newest chapter of my Angel Beats! fan fic! Please remember to leave a review if you have time, or shoot me a PM! I really appreciate all suggestions that are given to me and will consider them all carefully before deciding whether or not to use the idea.

Until next time!  
>~TabiNoTochuu<p>

* * *

><p>Book I<p>

Chapter 4: An Angel's Love

Hitomi stared at the brightly lit screen of her laptop, her eyes flashing along as she carefully examined the program she had open. _Angel Player... I'm sure I've seen this program somewhere before... But I can't seem to remember where or when._

There was a click as the bathroom door opened. She looked up at the open door and blushed furiously before she ducked back behind her laptop. Junichi stood there, wearing only a pair of sweat pants, his hair still wet from the shower. "Hitomi? Is that your laptop?"

"A-ah! Yes! I just found my charger, so now I can finally use it."

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing!" She hesitated for a brief second. "But... does the program _Angel Player_ mean anything to you?"

His eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he thought. "Hm... It does seem awfully familiar... but no, I can't seem to put my finger on when I last heard that name. Why did you ask?"

"No reason really. I came across it while going through my computer, and I was wondering if you knew anything about it. It would be bad if it was a virus, right?"

He laughed. "Yeah." Junichi turned and walked towards the bedroom. "Well, I think I'm going to sleep early tonight. So many things happened, and I feel like I'm about to drop dead from exhaustion. Good-night."

"G-good night."

As he walked through the doorway, he suddenly turned around. "Hey, I ran hot water for you to take a bath. It should be just the right temperature right now, so I would hurry if I were you."

"Oh! Thanks, Junichi."

He waved off her thanks and walked over to his futon. Moments later, light snoring began to float out of the open doorway. "Jeez... Asleep already..." Hitomi quickly undressed and got into the steaming water.

As she soaked in the water, her eyes began to droop as the combination of being chased by mobsters and the ensuing events that happened took their toll on her body. However, the program she discovered on her computer was still embedded in her mind. _Why is it so familiar? Does it have anything to do with my dream?_

Her face reddened as she recalled the ending to her dream. She stood in front of a school as she held the boy she had fallen in love with. _Why does Junichi resemble that boy so much? It can't be just a coincidence... right?_

As she lay there, deep in thought, a sudden wave of fatigue washed over her body. "I'll just close my eyes for a little bit. Then, I'll go to bed..."

* * *

><p><strong>*Dream*<strong>

She looked around her. It was the same dream again. The same high school, the same stairs, the same boy in front of her, begging her to stay with him for the rest of eternity. "We can stay here and teach them how to love life, and help them graduate from this place with no regrets." He looked up at her, gently pleading with her to accept his suggestion. "Won't you stay here with me? If you're here, I can't be lonely, even in this world."

Her heart reached out, but was pulled back. She was desperate to say yes, to accept his proposal and to spend the rest of her life with the boy she loved. However, like before, she had no control over what her body did. Her mind and heart screamed with pain as her mouth opened to say the same words as always, the few words that would separate them forever.

However, something this time seemed different. He looked at her, his eyes filled with hope and desire as she walked toward him. "I might have said it before, but I want to walk forward with you. Because I... love you."

He walked forward and embraced her tenderly. She trembled as she realized what would happen next. The thought of seeing herself leave him there, alone, was more than she could bear to endure. However, something told her this was the right thing to do. The silence following his confession grew uncomfortably long, and he looked down at the girl in his arms. "Kanade... Why aren't you saying anything?"

_Kanade... Is that me? Then, who is he? Is he Yuzuru? Or is he Junichi... _Had she not been in a dream, Hitomi would have screamed in frustration. Then, she opened her mouth to say the words she hated herself for saying. "I don't want to." She paused for a brief second, as her fragile heart gathered its courage. "If I told you my feelings, I would disappear."

As she explained the circumstances behind her 'heart', she realized he looked more depressed than he had in her previous dreams. "Yuzuru... Thank you for the gift of life you have given me..."

He sighed and reached out for her. He took her hand and looked directly into her golden eyes. "Kanade... I will help you move on, but I cannot go with you. I have to stay here, in this place, in order to help the others that pass through here."

Her eyes widened in surprise as these words left his mouth. _This isn't like my dream anymore! What's going on? _

He kissed her and dropped her hand. "Move on, Kanade. I will wait here for you. I know you'll come back to me."

She felt her existence fading, and ran toward him desperately. "No! Please, Yuzuru! Come with me! Don't stay here by yourself!" Tears streamed from her eyes as she reached out for him. "Don't leave me!"

He smiled sadly, and took a step backward. "I'm sorry, Kanade. This is something I've decided. If you want to meet me again, live your life! Live with no regrets, and show me that the life I gave you meant something. I will wait for as long as it takes."

His final, genuine smile was etched into her mind. "Good bye, Kanade."

Right before she could reach him, her vision faded.

* * *

><p><strong>*Present time*<strong>

Hitomi's eyes snapped open and she groaned from her cramped muscles. "Ow... I fell asleep in the bathtub..."

She reached up and realized there were tears all over her face. _That dream... why did it seem so much different than the others? Is there a secret meaning behind it?_

She shook her head and got out of the tub. She shivered from the cold air and quickly put on her pajamas. The darkness around her as she stumbled to the bedroom told her that it was already well past midnight. Still groggy from the bath, she reached the door of the bedroom and began blindly groping around, hoping to find a safe path to her bed.

She carefully picked her way across the floor, hoping desperately that she would trip over something and wake the sleeping Junichi. Finally, her groping hands found a blanket and a pillow and she allowed herself a sigh of relief. Hitomi quickly got under the covers and shivered from the cold night air. As she moved, trying to pull her covers around herself, she heard a groan and felt a tug on the blankets. Slowly, she turned around to see Junichi's face a few inches from her own. _Stupid! Stupid! How in the world did I manage to get into his bed? _

As she stared at his sleeping face, a sudden thought came into her mind. She slowly leaned in toward him, her face a bright crimson. Her heart was beating so loudly, she wondered why he didn't wake up from the sound. Hesitantly, she pressed her lips against his. _Please, oh please don't wake up... _

Her eyes widened from the touch of his lips. The sensation that accompanied it was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Hitomi pressed deeper, allowing the kiss to become even more passionate.

She pulled away, her face still flushed from her sudden actions. The sound of heavy panting filled the room as she filled her oxygen-deprived lungs with air. "... What am I doing?"

She quickly got up from the futon and climbed into her own bed. _I'll just pretend that never happened. _As she drifted off to sleep, a final thought passed through her mind. _Just what do I feel for him?_

* * *

><p><strong>*The Next day...*<strong>

Hitomi looked out of the window for the what seemed like the thousandth time, her thoughts far, far away from the proceedings of the ongoing class. Her eyes wandered over to Junichi and her face reddened slightly as she recalled the events of the previous night. _What's wrong with me? Why did I suddenly do something like that?_

She was relieved as the bell rang, signaling the start of the lunch break. Before any of the other students had left their seats, she had already gotten up and run out of the classroom. There was a moment of shocked silence before nervous chatter started up again. Junichi scratched his head, worried by her actions. He noticed her wrapped bento still lying on her desk and sighed. _She left in such a hurry that she even forgot her lunch... how careless._ He picked up the bento and made his way out of the classroom. As he looked to the right, he saw a flash of silver as someone ran up the stairs that lead to the roof.

* * *

><p><strong>*Scene change*<strong>

Hitomi ran up the stairs, desperate for a bit of time so that she could think clearly without the distracting presence of Junichi nearby. She opened the door to the roof and was assaulted by a large blast of fresh, cold air. She shivered as she made her way to one of the benches that occupied the otherwise barren rooftop. "... It's so cold today... I really should have brought my jacket along..."

She sat down on the bench and sighed. She drew her arms and legs closer into her body and tried to begin her thought process. However, the freezing cold air, along with the nipping wind, foiled her efforts. _I don't think I can ever face Junichi normally again... _She breathed on her hands and shoved them into her armpits, desperate for even a little bit of warmth.

She jumped as someone draped a warm jacket around her shoulders. She turned to see Junichi standing next to her, dressed in only a white dress shirt. "So this is where you ran off to. I think it's a bit too cold to be eating lunch out here, don't you?"

"W-w-who said I w-was eating l-l-lunch out here?"

"Oh, that reminds me." He pulled out her bento and handed it to her before opening his own. "You were in such a rush to leave that you even left your lunch in the classroom."

She pulled his jacket closer around her body and accepted the bento from him, determinedly attempting to not look him in the eyes. "Hitomi? Is something wrong? You're acting really strange today."

She forced a smile onto her face and opened the warm bento on her lap. "It's nothing. And thank you for bringing me the bento."

He sat down next to her and began to devour the omelets in his bento. "Don't mention it. Now, hurry up and eat! I spent all this morning making these, and I'd hate to see them go to waste."

Just then, she realized her predicament. "Um... Do you happen to have another pair of chopsticks?"

Junichi turned to face her and set his bento down on the bench. He took hers out of her hands and picked up a chunk of egg out of it with his chopsticks. "Here. Open up and say Ahhhh~"

Her face flushed red. "W-w-w-what are y-y-you doing? I can feed myself!"

"Come on now. I promise it's not disgusting. If it is, then I must have killed my sense of taste years ago."

She hesitated before she leaned in and took a bite out of the piece of omelet he proffered to her. He looked at her expectantly as she slowly chewed the egg, allowing the taste of it to fill her mouth. "Well? How is it? I tried putting some meats and vegetables into the omelet today, and I wasn't too sure whether or not I cooked it well enough."

Hitomi swallowed her mouthful of egg and looked genuinely surprised. "It's delicious. How did you learn to make food so well?"

He shifted in his seat and his face grew slightly more serious. "When you've lived alone like I have for such a long time, it's something you learn in order to survive. I couldn't stand eating just instant noodles for the rest of my high school life."

_What could have happened to force him to live on his own? _She opened her mouth, but thought better of it. _No... I shouldn't pry into his personal life. He'll tell me if he wants to tell me. _Just then, the bell that signaled the end of lunch rang. "We should get back to class. Fujihara-sensei hates it when we're late after lunch... She says something about how heavy foods make us lazy."

She stood up and followed him off the roof, still wrapped in his jacket. Her face betrayed none of the emotions that she kept hidden underneath her neutral mask.

* * *

><p>"Class, don't forget! I know school's barely just started, but we will be having our annual culture festival in three weeks! We'll start taking suggestions on what this class should do tomorrow, and you can talk to one of our class reps to suggest an idea!" Fujihara-sensei slammed her textbook closed. "That's all for today! Go home!"<p>

The sounds of chairs being pulled out and excited chatter filled the room as the students began to file out of the classroom. Junichi picked up his bag and walked over to Hitomi's desk. "Hey, I have practice again today. Are you going to come watch?"

Hitomi shook her head and stood up. "I'm going to check out the music room today. Just come there after practice, okay?"

He grinned at her. "What? I didn't know you played an instrument. Maybe you should give me a private concert sometime?"

Though he said this in a light, joking manner, her face still turned a slight pink color. "I'll think about it. Now go to practice! We can't have the captain of the Junior team be late, now can we?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, _mother._" With a wave, he ran out of the classroom.

* * *

><p><strong>*Hitomi POV*<strong>

I picked up my bag and walked out, headed for the music room on the first floor. As I slid the door open, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the interior of the music room was completely empty. I walked over to the grand piano and lifted the lid over the keys. My hands slid over the smooth, familiar feel of the keyboard as my body began to relax. The only times when I am truly at ease are when I'm engrossed with my music. Softly, the first notes of the piano rang out, low and sweet as I lightly pressed down on the keys.

From inside my bag, I pulled out a thin white folder. I opened it to reveal dozens of sheets of music. I took out one song and began to play it. It was one of my own compositions, and the only one that seemed beyond me. It was a perfect piece, yet I just couldn't find the right name for it. I repeated the piece over and over again, oblivious to my surroundings, and hoped that by playing it enough times, I would come across the perfect name for the song.

My body swayed in time with the music, and my fingers seemed almost alive as they flew across the keys. However, despite the number of times I played the piece perfectly, there was always something missing. As the final notes of the song faded into silence, a soft clapping echoed through the quiet music room, startling me out of my reverie. I turned around to see Fujihara-sensei standing just inside the doorway. "Sensei!"

She smiled and walked over to the grand piano. "You have a real talent for piano. Funny, I never really thought of you as the musical type."

My face felt four times redder than normal. "N-no... I'm not that good. I just use music as a way to escape my troubles."

"Hm? Is something bothering you? You could ask me, you know... I AM a teacher."

I hesitated, reluctant to voice my true feelings and concerns. However, it was too much for me to just keep it built up inside of my body. Sooner or later, I would have to tell someone. "... I wanted to know. What's it like to fall in love? I've never had someone I loved before, so I'm quite unfamiliar with that feeling."

Fujihara-sensei smiled knowingly. "Junichi-kun, huh? I can see why you'd fall for him."

_Oh God... She figured it out so easily! Am I THAT easy to read? _My face was hot enough to boil water. "W-w-who said anything a-about him?"

"Oh please! You two are some of the easiest people to read out of all my students. As for you, I can easily tell you like him."

"B-but... I don't know what I feel for him..."

"Do you want to be with him? Does your heart tremble when he's near you? Does it hurt when he's not near you?"

_All of that and more..._ "... Yes... sometimes."

Fujihara-sensei laid a hand on my shoulder and gave me a smile that contained almost motherly affection. "In that case, I'd say that you're in love with him. How deep that love is, well, that's something for you to find out yourself."

"Thank you, Sensei."

"That feeling you feel, the indescribable and powerful emotions that rage around you when you're near him, the pain you feel when he's not there, and the happiness you feel when he's with you. That, Hitomi, is what love feels like." She gave me a final pat on the shoulder before she opened the door and stepped outside. "Good luck!"

I sat there, in the utter silence of the music room. The grand piano was open in front of me, my unnamed composition resting on the lid. I placed my hands back on the keys and began the piece again. This time, it was different. It was a very subtle change, but it was noticeable to my trained ears. The piece felt fuller somehow, as if what had been missing in it had finally been found. As the steady sound of the notes flew through the air, I felt my very soul beating in time to the music. I realized, when I had almost finished, that I had been thinking of him the entire time I was playing. _Love. _The sudden word came into my mind. _What this song needed wasn't practice. It needed love. _

I smiled as the perfect name for the song came into my mind. Before the last notes of the song had disappeared, I had already written the title in bold letters across the top of the music. _My Soul, Your Beats._

Then, suddenly, I heard soft footsteps from behind me. I turned around to see...

* * *

><p><strong>*Junichi POV*<strong>

30 minutes earlier

I ran down the stairs, a little worried. Hitomi had seemed quieter than usual today, and she seemed quite unenthusiastic about spending time with me. _Was it something I did? I hope not... _

From my locker, I grabbed my sports bag and checked to make sure my uniform and shinai were tucked snugly inside. With one final look back at the place where I knew the music room would be, I ran out toward the gym.

I arrived just in time to see Yuki as he walked out of the changing room. "Captain! Where are you going?"

He looked over at me. "Oh, Junichi. I have an emergency student council meeting to discuss some budget issues pertaining to the Judo club and also the culture festival in three weeks. So, practice is canceled for today."

"Oh..."

I must have looked extremely disappointed, since Yuki put an arm around my shoulders. "Come on now. Walk with me for a bit. There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

"What about?"

He looked around and made sure we were alone. "That girl you're always with. Nagase Hitomi, right? What's your relationship with her?"

"Uh... We're just friends."

He gave me a stern glance. "Really now? And here I thought she was your girlfriend."

I felt my face burn. "W-why would you think that? There's nothing between us at all!"

"Nevertheless, you two spend a lot of time together. If you hadn't just denied it, I still would have thought you two were dating."

I had to pause and think back to the time I spent with Hitomi. True, we did spend a great deal of time together, but I assumed that it was because she lived with me and that I practically thought of her as a sister right now. "R-really? But I really don't think of her that way..."

"Junichi... I think you're just not being honest with your true feelings. You like her, don't you?"

_True... I do like her. She's attractive, smart, and kind. But, I doubt she even feels the same way as I do... _I realized that Yuki was waiting for an answer when he cleared his throat noisily. "... Alright, fine. Yes, I do like her."

He grinned in triumph. "I knew it! You two are so easy to figure out..."

"Does that mean she likes me too?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out. Now, get out of here. I have a meeting to attend." With a final wave, he ran off toward the student council room. I was left there, filled with uncertain thoughts about a certain silver haired girl.

I sighed and walked down the stairs, heading for the music room. _I might as well go get Hitomi... No point staying here if there's nothing to do. _I arrived at the door to the music room and reached for the handle. Then, from inside, the most beautiful melody I had ever heard before drifted into my ears. I quietly slid open the door to see Hitomi sitting at the grand piano, her back facing me. Her body swayed to the flow of the music, and her slender fingers danced on the keys.

I stood there, transfixed by the sound of her music. Soon, the song came to an end. Before the notes died away, she grabbed a pen from her bag and wrote something at the top of her music. Without realizing it, I walked closer to try and get a glimpse at the name of the song. As I did, she seemed to hear my footsteps and turned to face me.

* * *

><p><strong>*Present time*<strong>

Hitomi stared at his face. The room was utterly silent as they gazed at each other's face, complicated thoughts running through their minds. "J-junichi! Why are you here? I thought you had Kendo practice?"

"Yeah... It got canceled today due to a emergency student council meeting."

"H-h-how long have you been l-listening to me?"

"Uhm... Only for the last song... Should I not have been listening?"

"N-no! It's fine. I was just surprised, that's all!"

There was an awkward pause as each side tried to think of something to say. Hitomi sneaked a look over at him. _Should I take my chance now? We are all alone in here..._

Her face red with embarrassment, she turned her body on the piano bench to face him. "J-junichi! There's something I need to tell you!"

"O-okay. What is it?"

"I r-r-r-really... I really l-"

They were interrupted when Ishii ran through the door. He was panting heavily, and his face was slick with sweat. "Junichi! There's someone looking for you outside!"

Junichi frowned. "Looking for me? Who could that possibly be?"

"Well, she said she knows you."

"Hrm... Alright then." He turned back to Hitomi. "I'm sorry, but can this possibly wait till later? From what I see, this sounds a bit urgent."

She fought back pangs of disappointment and regret. "Y-yeah, sure." _Stupid! I shouldn't have hesitated..._

They walked outside to one of the windows in the hallway that overlooked the courtyard. In the middle of the empty courtyard, there was a young girl standing there, her eyes raised at the buildings, apparently looking for something. Her short purple hair fluttered around her head as she turned and saw them.

Hitomi pulled on his sleeve. "Junichi... do you know that girl?"

He took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Yeah. That's my younger sister. Nakamura Yuri."

"Eh?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>Whattttttt? Yuri's back? Too bad she's going to be a minor character in this book... Pretend that, in this life, Yuri and Yuzuru are siblings! I was inspired to re-introduce Yuri into the plot by a comment from one of my readers who noticed that, in the actual anime, Yuri's last name is actually Nakamura. (I didn't remember at ALL)

For those of you who want to see more Yuri storyline, keep waiting! One of my books, (most likely Book III or Book IV) will be a Yuri-only book.

Until next time!

~TabiNoTochuu


	6. IMPORTANT UPDATE!

**Update:**

Hello everyone! Wow, it's been a really long time since I last updated this story, hasn't it? Unfortunately, this isn't the next chapter in this story. However, there's good news here! I will be rewriting this story with a slightly different plot and possibly a different style of writing.

The story is called: **Ichiban No Takaramono (My Most Precious Treasure), **and will be update with the preface as soon as I can get it out. I expect this story to begin on the 25th of this month, and hopefully, it will be better than this one!

If you have any ideas for something you'd like to see, feel free to contact me, and I might just add it into my story (With all due credit given, of course).

Thank you for your patience, and I hope you will enjoy the new story!

**~TabiNoTochuu**


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